By Paul M. Bray, President of the Albany Roundtable, environmental attorney and
columnist

In the Keynote for Neighborhood Works to the conditions and elements for a
New Urbanism (urban culture, public realm, links and civic engagement) were
discussed. It is timely to see how this view of the New Urbanism has been
doing in Albany during the last two years.

Public realm. There have been some significant improvements in Albany.
Particularly it is worth calling attention to:

Urban culture. Albany's heritage has received a great deal of attention
during this 350th anniversary year and some significant steps have been taken to
celebrate the City's heritage and preserve its assets.The

-Albany Heritage Project - 350 Anniversary of Beverwyck/UAlbany

-State Street exhibit at Ualbany and the Dutch painting exhibit at the
Albany Institute of History and Art

-Historic Albany's efforts: Vacant Buildings paintings

-Steps to preserve the landmark St. Joseph's Church

Linkage. Albany has gotten on the global map as a center for IT research
and bio-tech research among other links near and far.

-Sematech North and Tokyo Electronics projects

-DANA with Marty Silverman for walk to work home buyers program (4
forgivable loans made to new home owners and funding available for another round
of loans)

-Erie Canalway National Heritage Area

Civic engagement. Civic engagement is our greatest need: Prospect of
great change from Sematech, bio-tech and faster train to NYC

-could be a flash in the pan

-could be transformational and, as we were regrettably reminded again by
the loss of the Defreest House in East Greenbush, we aren't prepared

-rapid growth like Austin attracts big money and development pressures
that could steam roll us

Our greatest challenge: Overcoming the Patroon psychology on both the part of
the Mayor and the citizen. Recent events clearly demonstrate continues to
act in the traditional Patroon manner that has characterized political life in
Albany.

-Lark Street project. Mayor Jennings unilaterally substituted the
Federally funded $7 million dollar street improvement project that was initially
developed by neighborhood residents for use in another part of the city and
placed it with a smaller $2 million improvement project

-Harriman campus. Without consulting with surrounding neighbors or any
public discourse on the proposal for a 300 acre high tech campus on the site of
the State Harriman Campus, Mayor Jennings simply declared that he had the ear of
State officials and would take care of the City's interests (whatever they
happen to be as he didn't state how he saw those interests). Neither he or
any representative of city government testified at the environmental impact
statement on the Campus plan that continues, for example, to exclude public
transit from the Campus.

-Austin trip. Mayor Jennings visited Austin where the original Sematech is
located to look at education, minority needs, arts and culture, and other issues
affected by potential exponential growth from high tech development. He
went with members of Capitalize Albany and ALDC and city employees

(Jennings, Leveille, Lori Harris,
Michele Vennard, Robert Curley, President of Charter One, Tracy Metzger, Chris
Miles, Kevin O'Connor, David Swaywaite of Omni Development, Lynn Taylor of the
Chamber, Anders Tomson-regional VP of Community Preservation Corps). Where, for
example, were representatives from the neighborhoods, from the Board of
Education and the NAACP?

-Harold Rubin only one to testify on city budget. In 1980 there were more
than 20 people testifying.

All of the aforementioned reflects a City Hall that is out of touch with the
residents of the City and residents that have reached a low point in speaking
out of their interests.

NEED-PARTNERSHIP FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

At Neighborhood Works I, former Ualbany Professor Todd Swanstrom talked about
sociologist Robert Putnam's book Bowling Alone and about civic/social capital/
Patroon psychology

Social capital is built on networks and trust.

-Putnam wrote- "To everything there is a season, and a time for every
purpose under heaven," sang the Hebrew poet in Eccleasiates." It
is time to reweave the fabric of our community, to get over the hang over boss
politicsto .

Civic Engagement Agenda for Albany:

1. Get neighborhood representation on the Capitalize Albany committee and create
a focus for downtown development that will create a Central Social Districtbbb

2. Institutionalize neighborhood organizations in process with the city like
Rochester's program of Neighbors Building Neighborhoods

Putnam wrote: "…cities that have institutionalized neighborhood
organizations, such as Portland (Oregon) and St. Paul (Minnesota), are more
effective in passing proposals that local people want. These cities also
enjoy higher levels of support for and trust in government."

If he Mayor doesn't go along, go to the City Council to initiate a formal
process of requesting and receiving input through CANA

3. Reestablish the Albany Educationway committee or a reconstituted committee to
address the educational needs of all residents Albany residents (life long
learning) and relations between town and gown

4. Call upon the Mayor and City Council to prepare a comprehensive city plan to
address the potential development impacts from Sematech North and other changes
on the horizon